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While the Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD) has come under well deserved scrutiny for supporting groups such as ACORN and groups with ties to promoting abortion, CMR has uncovered that Ralph McCloud, while heading the CCHD in 2008, was simultaneously working as a highly placed campaign official for a pro-choice politician seeking to unseat a pro-life politician.

As you likely know, CCHD is the bishops' anti-poverty program which funds community organizing and economic development projects and has been at the center of a number of controversies. Ralph McCloud was named head of the CCHD in November 2007. In his first year as head of the CCHD, according to public records, McCloud also worked as the Treasurer for Planned Parenthood endorsed Democrat Wendy Davis.

Why would the director of the CCHD, during his tenure as head of an ostensibly Catholic institution act as champion and treasurer of a campaign for a pro-abortion politician seeking to oust a pro-life politician? This is the textbook definition of scandal.

According to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishop's website, "the CCHD fully upholds the Church’s teaching on the sanctity of human life from conception through natural death." But acting as Treasurer for a pro-choice politician means that every single yard sign, every press release, every brochure or pamphlet of the Davis campaign had Ralph McCloud's name on it. So in short, while heading up the CCHD, McCloud was very publicly working against the stated goals of the organization he oversaw.

Isn't that a bit confusing to Catholics? Isn't that in itself a scandal to the faithful?

McCloud himself labeled questions about another CCHD employee John Carr's commitment to the pro-life cause "very disturbing allegations" which he believed were unfounded. CMR believes it to be equally disturbing that McCloud would work for a campaign garnering donations from Annie's List (a pro-choice PAC), Planned Parenthood and ACORN. So pro-choice was the Davis campaign that in fact, Annie's List, raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for Davis in 2008 while McCloud worked as Treasurer. The group even gave a spirited endorsement of the pro-choice Davis, who succeeded in defeating her pro-life opponent.

In fact, so vehemently was the abortion industry behind Davis' campaign that they actually broke the law to support it. The Texas Ethics Commission fined the campaign treasurer for Planned Parenthood of North Texas' political action committee thousands of dollars for not reporting how much they'd spent in support of Davis' campaign among others.

According to the CCHD guidelines:

“CCHD will not fund groups that are members of coalitions which have as part of their organizational purpose or coalition agenda, positions or actions that contradict fundamental Catholic moral and social teaching.”

While McCloud's work for the Davis campaign doesn't directly contradict that guideline, isn't it the least bit contradictory to the intent of the law for the head of the CCHD to publicly work for a pro-choice politician?

CMR believes Ralph McCloud and the CCHD should explain McCloud's actions to Catholics concerned about the sanctity of life. Does the Catholic Campaign for Human Development only care about human development of some while turning it's back on the unborn?

To the second anon: good point. I prefer the globus cruciger to the loathsome Nero "peace symbol" (read about it at lhla.org's new age blog) and any other symbol whereby the cross is cleverly subsumed into the confines of a globe/circle. Symbolically much better that the cross be placed atop, not within, this morass ruled by prince satan.

Meanwhile in a parish near you, 96% of Catholics are getting perscriptions for birth control pills filled at the local Walmart and men are recovering from their vasectomies.

Don't worry though, it's all prayerfully considered and doesn't have a teal logo after all.

So, does anyone remember what the logo for the Babylonian exile was? I seem to recall that it featured a picture of a guy who worked for a pro-life campaign surrounded by the words, "Babylon or bust - it's not my fault."

"We do not support anything other than our local parish (or carefully selected Catholic charities) for this very reason. Corruption is rampant (and obvious.)"

That has been our policy since these CCHD outrages first became known. We dont even support the Cardinal's Appeal because we dont trust them in allocating the funds. Despite the continuing exposure about this organization, the USCCB and most bishops continue to support it.

i am from california, where Catholic Health care west gave over a million dollars to a Catholic agency called the Mercy Foundation. The mercy foundation gave it out as grants to organizations that promote abortion, homosexuality, drugs, etc. In fact the money given was also given to a clinic where our Bishop recently went out and prayed with over 200 people. I wonder if he even knew that Catholic Health Care west and Mercy Foundation gave over $70,000 to the manager of that clinic.Lord Send us good shepherds!

I think it's great how everyone is supporting their own parish but not the church universal. Our priest even tells us to give big at Christmas & Easter when none of the money goes to the Diocese. How many of you attend the parish church where you actually reside instead of going to some other parish where the style/personnel is more to your taste?

More and more it seems to me the Catholic church is just like Protestant churches (the beliefs of the people and the pastor vs. a universal doctrine define what the local church believes). Someone I know was told by another friend of hers not to stop going to mass because VA churches are too conservative (anti abortion & gay marriage) for her, but to go to Holy Trinity in DC - I said that's where Nancy Pelosi goes: (scroll down to 5 December). http://www.capitolcatholic.blogspot.com/

http://www.holytrinitydc.org/

Unfortunately, I've stopped supporting my local parish as well because of apostate teaching and pro-euthanasia and pro-abortion personnel. A confessor said why don't you attend another mass and, I'm like, do you mean another mass, another parish or another Church?

If you go to http://www.holytrinitydc.org/A big red flag went up when I saw this notice...

Saturday Speaker Series - January 22, 2011 - Fr. Tom Reese, S.J.Fr. Tom Reese, S.J.will discuss "Is the issue of justice integral to the Eucharist or is it extraneous?" Fr. Reese argues that without justice the Eucharist is inauthentic and damaging in the body of Christ. Join us in McKenna Hall at 10:00am on Saturday January 22, 2011.

The "CATECHISM of the CATHOLIC CHURCH, Second Edition" is the only catechism from the Magisterium (dark green cover, first published in the USA in March 2000) - It is very clear that the ONLY times the Church should be involved in politics is for the Salvation of Souls or the Fundamental Rights of ALL Men according to the Gospel (Mt, Mk, Lk, Jn). CCC 2245 & 2246.The USCCB and their 300+ employees, the State Bishop Conferences, and too many Diocese employees have become a large bureaucracy paid for by Catholic donations. They are involved in too much that clearly has nothing to do with the Saving of Souls, etc.- such as what they believe to be illegal immigrants rights, and climate change (global warming) to name two.Neither the USCCB, nor State Bishop Conferences, nor indivdual Bishops are the Magisterium of the Church. Eleven US Bishops refuse to send money to the USCCB for CCHD activities.Everyone over age 15 should read the CCC, so there are no mistakes in forming one's own conscience. Further by quoting paragraph numbers to your Parish Priest - if he does not conform including his staff, send a letter of Documentation to your Diocese Bishop. If after a few weeks that has done no good, send another letter to your Diocese Bishop with a copy to the Papal Nuncio in DC and to the Vatican. In the meantime send your Charity money to a Catholic Charity who helps the poor as Christ instructed.

Where was the USCCB in supporting Bishop Olmstead regarding Catholic Hospital West - abortions, voluntary sterizations, and distribution of the morning after - abortion pill, and contraceptives, since CHW spans several western States?

Where was the USCCB regarding "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" -openly homosexuals in the Military?

The USCCB were too busy supporting the Dream Act for ILLEGAL immigrants, which has nothing to do with Doctrine of our Faith.According to the CCC all immigrants are required to OBEY the laws of the host Country. CCC 2241.

According to the CCC, each Bishop is fully responsible and has full authority for ALL Catholic actvities and organizations in his own Diocese.This includes but is not limited to teaching and Saving Souls.

All CATHOLICS including Cardinals, Bishops, Priests, Nuns, and Laity MUST adhere to the "CCC 2nd Ed".

As the late Cardinal O'Conner used to say: "the Catholic Church is not a salad bar. You can not pick and choose what you want to believe.

" CCC #2089INCREDULITY is the neglect of revealed truth or the willful refusal to assent to it;HERESY is the obstinate post-baptismal denial of some truth which must be believed with divine and catholic faith, or it is likewise an obstinate doubt concerning the same;APOSTACY is the total repudiation of the Christian faith;SCHISM is the refusal of submission to the Roman Pontiff or of communion with the members of the Church subject to him."

Ditto Jennifer. In Weigel's new book "The End & The Beginning", in shows how the KGB used the ideological rift in the Catholic Church behind the Iron Curtain to compromise the parishes,priests & Catholic people. The exact same thing is happening in the USA because the Church can't get its act together.

We need to pray as never beforein history, catecize ourselves, and especially our youth. We donate by offering to provide books for our parish. i.e. a gift book for every youth confirmed that will give authentic Catholic teaching. This reaches both the youth who are confirmed and their parents. Pray the Rosary and the Divine Mercy Chaplet, the prayer for the new millenium. We are meant to be here now!

I feel I need to defend my faith to more Catholics than to non-Catholics! I feel we need to call ourselves the Authentic Catholics, or constantly call the others Dissenting Catholics! Then they say we are divisive, haters,etc. But the truth must be known to be lived, and must be lived to "saved." So many lies (or half truths...) are spread, so much watering down, and people like McCloud are paid from our donations to spread inauthentic doctrine. Community organizers are in many Catholic parishes, supporting the very things we fight against. We must spread the word! www.johntwo24-25.net And pray.

I do not a single Inauthentic Catholic. If I ask Nancy Pelosi she will tell you she is an authentic catholic. Until Catholics recognized the role Vatican 2 played in the church's abrogation of its role as the authentic head of all Christendom, we are all spinning our wells. I have attended many of the That Man is You programs. Each time it points to the decline of morals, marriage, unwed motherhood and the disturbing upward trends in crime, abortion and the disintegration of the family every graph demonstrates its negativity starting in the mid 60's. What does it take for anyone to witness these trends and link it to the formulations of Vatican 2. "By your fruits you will know them" Jesus Christ. I ask all Catholics, how do the fruits of Vatican 2 taste to you?

This article has an error. The CCHD is not the bishops anti-poverty program. It is their socialist agit-prop organization. If you want to read about how heretical socialism slipped into the Church, I suggest you check out "The Catholic Worker Movement" by Carol Byrne on Amazon (or other bookstore).

Mark,It tastes like crap. It is an interesting debate: what lead to the decline? We can point to the surrender of Vat. II. But before that, we had the crisis in Faith that seemed to reject Original Sin. Fr. Feeney, who went too far, was plugged into that. And we have the refusal of the Pope to release the Third Secret in 1960.

The problem is that there are many good solid Catholic priests who follow the Pope and the Magesterium. However the money parishes collect at times has to go to the archdiocese. This just continues the anti-Catholic work of groups like the CCHD. If we all stop giving they may see the truth but many priests and good people will be hurt. I don't know what the answer is. Just pray pray pray and be very careful where you send your money.

Jesus spent much of His ministry admonishing the Jewish Leaders for leading His flock astray. 2000 years later, we will get to enjoy the Holy Spirit coming to address what ails God's Son's Church. I truly feel sorry for the souls of many of these Bishops and Cardinals. Jesus speaks to directly in plain language to those who lead His flock astray and violate the innocence of children. As you pray, pray that you will have the wisdom to recognize the Holy Spirit when He comes. Pray for the counsel to heed Him. Pray for the fortitude to follow Him into the coliseum.

Parishioners get the priest and bishops they deserve. If you want to "invest" in good priests and bishops in the future, why not pray, read more about your faith, and get involved in teaching catechism, sending your kids to catholic schools, in ensuring catholic schools are well run and staffed.....

Vatican 2 , the 3rd secret ...have nothing to do with the issues. Who says its your right to know the third secret. What have we done with what we do know, the CCC is yet to be read and digested by catholics worldwide.

as for immigration, i am sure that is an issue that is a work in progress, but lets not get xenophobic about it; its one thing to have bad laws and another to expect people to obey them.

Religion is not democratic, God is not a democrat, communist, socialist or capitalist.

Traditionalists are simply catholic protestants.

if i have offended anyone, my apologies, take it as the rantings of a someone in the third world, where our church is highly conservative.

please hold your bishops accountable, have a town hall meeting with them and thrash this out, but in all things treat your bishops with respect and with love.

Interesting rant anonymous from the 3rd world. But your apology gives you away that you do not believe a word of what you say. Jesus never apologized and He offended many. Do you think his trashing of the temple was just looked on as a whoopsy? Read the Good News of John (Gospel) see how many times the crowds were picking up stones. Your points are well taken that we should all invest of our time, treasure and talent to pass our faith in God onto the next generation. The issue for many is we struggle with how our shepherds are leading the flock and are in serious doubt that this is the direction we want our youth to go. Many feel these Cardinals and Bishops are like the Chief Priests and Pharisees, more concerned with their robes and baubles and where they sit in places of honor than insuring that the message of Jesus Christ and the Catholic saving graces are passed down. I give of my time to teach. Our priests show up once or twice a year. Pray that you will have the wisdom to recognize the Holy Spirit when He comes. Pray for the counsel to heed Him. Pray for the fortitude to follow Him into the coliseum.

http://www.workers.org/2010/us/wwp_fist_ussf_0708/ This is the kind of crap the Catholic Church joins with when they join community organizing--far left people who want to make the US into socialists! It must stop. Please, all clergy need to learn about this and make our Church the Church of Jesus, not the church of Che!

Gotta say that no political group should be allowed to tack the word "Catholic" on it.... too many out there that will use the description purely for manipulation. "Catholic" becomes a tag used to get attention and garner support by the unscrupulous.